There are probably few foods as polarizing as sushi. You either love it or you think it’s better used as fishing bait. If you’re in the latter camp, waste no more time reading what follows. If you’re a sushi fanatic, however, we recommend forging ahead to learn a little more about some of the best sushi restaurants Knoxville has to offer. Did your favorite make this list? As always, these are not ranked but presented in no particular order.

Nama Sushi Bar

I first visited Nama more than 10 years ago, not long after it made its debut at its Gay Street location. I’ve been many times since, but this is definitely one place that deserves its frequent Best Sushi honors in various readers’ polls in local publications. Whether your tastes lean toward traditional Japanese sushi or more Americanized takes on rice-and-fish classics, Nama's in-depth menu likely has something to scratch that sushi itch. You might try a seaweed salad as an appetizer before moving on to chef specialties like tuna tartare, their fish/shrimp tacos or unagi don – eel and avocado served over sushi rice. In addition to a wide selection of rolls and platters, you’ll also find multiple varieties of sashimi, nigiri and maki.

Sushi Spot chefs Aaron Goodfriend and David Catotti create sushi rolls for customers. David is putting the finishing touches on the Kane roll, in honor of Glenn Jacobs.(Photo: Ruth White/Shopper News)

Sushi Spot

Located in the Powell community, this out-of-the-way sushi restaurant may be worth the extra drive for those who live in other parts of town. This is another place I’ve made repeat visits to over the years, based largely on my first exposure to the Sushi Spot’s fare. My encounter with appetizers like the gyoza dumplings and salmon sashimi were tasty ways to dip my toes in the water, while specialty rolls like the Jakes roll (scallops, crab, salmon, massago and more) and the Player roll (shrimp tempura, squid, tuna, smoked salmon, cucumber, etc.) delivered generous portions and colorful presentations that almost made it a shame to break them up for tasting.

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It might not be a White Walker but this sushi got the GOT treatment as Chef Will Bates used a knife that was ablaze to cut his fish.

Lemon Grass Thai Cuisine and Sushi Bar

Speaking of out of the way, Lemon Grass in Maryville isn’t exactly around the corner for most Knoxvillians, but it made a good enough impression on me during my first visit years ago that I’ve actually darkened that door way more than once since then. The intimate Thai eatery does devote a portion of its limited square footage to sushi preparation, including six-piece sushi-roll classics like California rolls and creations with main ingredients like tuna, salmon, yellowtail and eel. Chef’s specialties (eight to 10 pieces) start with the Lemon Grass Roll – shrimp tempura and cucumber topped with freshwater eel, avocado and eel sauce. They also offer a sushi/sashimi combo with 14 pieces of raw fish and four pieces of sushi nigiri with one tuna roll.

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Kit Kat sushi is a new food trend in Japan.
USA TODAY

Anaba Japanese Cuisine

This sushi and hibachi restaurant doesn’t get as much recognition as many of its contemporaries, which is a raw deal, because the sheer variety served up by the sushi chefs at this Knoxville (and Maryville) eatery is backed up by the quality of the flavors and visuals that play out in the process. Anaba offers a number of rolls served warm, such as Double Dynamite (tempura-fried with salmon, tuna and more) and the Seafood Boat (tempura-fried with asparagus, cream cheese and seafood mixture). Several creations are available as nigiri, sashimi or in traditional roll form, including crawfish salad, mackerel, scallops, squid and white tuna. With more than a dozen selections in each of the regular and specialty-roll categories, Anaba is definitely worthy of a visit.

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A tall caramel macchiato and a sushi burrito for lunch? That is actually a thing now thanks to Starbucks. Veuer's Natasha Abellard (@NatashaAbellard) has the story.
Buzz60

Surin of Thailand

Here’s another pairing of sushi service with a Thai menu, but I recall loving this place when The Grub Spouse and I first checked it out back in 2011. Their core nigiri and sashimi options include shrimp, squid, crab, mackerel, salmon, eel and octopus. Their six-piece maki rolls cover familiar bases like California and spicy tuna rolls, while the six-to-eight-piece maki mono rolls range from the Rainbow Roll (avocado, crab and cucumber topped with salmon, tuna and tilapia) to the Wasabi maki (yellowtail and tuna topped with salmon, sriracha sauce and eel sauce). They also serve four different combo platters that come with 12 to 14 pieces.